The Legend of Zelda: The Sacred Realm
by Bridsta05
Summary: Zelda has died. Saria has fled. And Link is left to defend his country alone. But when Saria and a mysterious stranger return to Hyrule the past must be relived. LxS possible LxOC
1. Chapter 1

**The Legend of Zelda: The Sacred Realm**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Legend of Zelda characters sadly. x all i own is this plot**

**(A/N) I decided to delete my other Zelda fics so I'm just starting with this one. :) Enjoy**

**_Prelude_**

**_Time has passed on from Zelda's death, the mourning has ended and Hyrule is once again at peace. But not for long according to Link's gut instinct. Link is the crowned King of Hyrule; Impa continues to serve in his Royal Court as a guardian Shiek of the Royal family. Hyrule has been rebuilt after the destruction caused by the breaking of the Sage's link. Link is summoned to the Temple of Time to enter the Sacred Realm and battle Evil all over again to retrieve the final Triforce piece. It is then up to Link to choose the fate of his Hylian citizens…_**

**Chapter 1: The Flow of Time**

Two years had passed since Zelda had died, leaving Link as the rightful King of Hyrule. Gannos had been defeated, Saria and he had been sprung along with their affairs and the circle of Seven Sages was broken. Link had been left quite lonely, to rule the flourishing country on his own. The Sages Darunia, Nabooru and Ruto returned to their temples as usual once their grief for Zelda's death had passed. Impa remained loyal to the Royal Family and it's descendants and continued to protect the Royal Family's heir. She was aided by the castle guards and well-armored knights. Hyrule was at peace once more, yet Link had a sneaking suspicion that now the death of the Queen had come, Hyrule would soon be in disarray and chaos. This reminded Link of the time in his boyhood fourteen years ago, when he was summoned by the Great Deku Tree to save Hyrule from the gathering evil.

Saria, the Forest Sage had fled Hyrule, or so her note addressed to Link had read. She could not bear to remain where Link could be with her, or request to see her as her guilt and remorse of the past was unbearable. She had somehow felt personally responsible for the Queen's death, although it was not her fault. So she had packed her things, gathered up rations and Link's old fairy bow, dressed her daughter Melanie, now seven years old and whisked off into unknown lands. Link's old fairy Navi had mistakenly met Saria in a eerie forest as the Kokiri girl and her child swept through darkened debris and moonlit nights. So with a fairy now at her side Saria had become a wanderer, having no fixed home.

Link dreamt of Saria every night. He longed to slide his fingers through hers and to see her comforting smile again. Zelda was a different story, she chased him in his nightmares and sung distorted but beautiful versions of Zelda's Lullaby. But Saria was always in his dreams. He always wondered what had become of her…

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Two years ago Hyrule had been destructed due to the breaking of the Sage's links between Saria, Link and Zelda. Now it was glamorously rebuilt although it remained with the original building structure. Hyrule castle had collapsed completely as had Kakariko Village. So Link ordered for everything to be returned to its original state, but in a more elegant form. The castle was crafted with brightly polished marble stones and high broad windows. The courtyard in which Link had first met Zelda was designed in exactly the same way, so the memory of her could last with Link forever. Kakariko Village, Impa's creation and birthplace, was formed with expensive shining tiles and sturdy roof plates. Luckily the ancient graveyard had been saved, along with Death Mountain.

Zelda's body had been taken from the gorge where she fell and buried at the front of the Graveyard, her white tombstone shining brightly in the sun; decorated with colourful roses and lillies. There she was at last laid to rest, the Ocarina of Time was placed on the grass before her stone. Her tombstone read, in fancy Hylian:  
"Here lies Zelda, Princess and Queen of Hyrule. Wife to Lord Link and daughter of King Hamish. May her soul eternally Rest in Peace. Amen."

Many townsfolk came to offer tributes to her gravesite everyday, as many of them thought that she had been the most just and fair ruler of them all. But Link, the Hero of Time was practically just as good as Zelda had ever been. Even though Link didn't think so.


	2. Dreams By Night Thoughts By Day

**(A/N) Well my little chickens, my first chapter was a tad...erm...shall we say...not completely enthralling?! But the others that follow will be better :P If you're interested - continue on R&R! Thanks to you all x)**

**Chapter 2: Dreams By Night - Thoughts By Day**

_"Oh…you're leaving"_ came her voice, _"I knew someday this time would come,"_

Link said nothing, only edged closer to the Kokiri on the bridge.

_"Please take this Ocarina Link. And I pray that every time you play it, you will remember me. Take special care of it," _she said kindly, handing him the Fairy Ocarina. Her face began to fade as Link walked backwards, towards Hyrule field.

_"Goodbye Link,"_

Images swirled inside Link's head; there she was…standing before him again.

_"You saved me Link,"_ she breathed, hugging into him deeply. He felt the warmth of her skin as he hugged her closer, absorbing her beauty and earthy, fruity scent.

_"I knew you'd rescue me again, my Hero,"_ She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Link felt love and passion flood through him, he was so engrossed in the moment, and he never wanted to let her go…ever.

_"I love you Link,"_ his heart rose fiercely as she spoke, for he loved her too and always would, it was unrequited. He was so desperately holding onto the moment with her, he needed this. _"I love you so much,"_

Her voice died away and slowly her whole figure disappeared, swept into darkness…

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Link awoke with a sudden jolt, early in the morning. His face was etched with sadness, his eyes heavy, weighed down with their own burden from lack of sleep. Another of his repetitive dreams had awakened him and the pretty woman's face flashed across his mind.

_Saria…_

Languidly he rose, shrugging off the warm cocoon of blankets that enveloped his shaking body. Standing, he walked to his grand window and opened it, staring down upon the wide plains of Hyrule field. So many memories circled the air. He turned his face into the small wind blowing west-ward. It was cool and calm, ruffling his hair and refreshing his brain. He stood by the windowsill for a while longer, moonlight reflecting off his smooth, handsome face. He was indeed still handsome, for he had just recently turned 24.

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It would be maybe two hours before the sun rose and another hectic day began. Link knew that he would not be able to fall into the deep slumber he so desperately craved for every night. How could he when Zelda haunted his nightmares and Saria, beautiful Saria consumed his dreams? So, disregarding his bed and not even bothering to make it properly, Link strode across the room and slipped down stairs to the training grounds. He always started a new day with practice, just in case anything came along.

_"It hasn't though, for two years,"_ he reminded himself quietly, shutting the wooden door to the castle arena and drawing the bolt across, _"Why would today be any different?"_

There he undressed and put on his training clothes, which was a worn down version of his Kokiri tunic. His old one in fact. He constantly wore it when training to remind himself of Saria; it always carried her elegant smell and he liked it that way. His mind not really concentrating on anything, he grabbed his wrist tape and began strapping it to his hands and wrists. When he had finished, he jogged around the oval-shaped arena three times at a normal pace, changing steps every time. Then he made his way towards the practice bags. He had ordered these to be made-up by the carpenters, specifically for this purpose. _To practice._

Link began punching one of the bags, concentrating on his breathing and his tactics. _Jab, jab, cross. Jab, jab, cross. Uppercut, body punch, jab, uppercut, cross._ These punches and techniques were taught to him by Impa, his guardian. She held qualities so similar to the late Queen that sometimes it saddened him. She was strict but the most loyal of friends and she was also the Sage of the Shadow Temple.

A small line of sweat was forming across Link's brow and on his upper lip, he was beginning to tire, but he mustn't, not yet. He had to keep going, to push himself to his limits.

_"Nobody likes an unfit Hero,"_ he told himself sternly.

_Cross, jab, cross, hook, elbow, uppercut, jab, jab, palm strike, cross._ His fists were a blur now, keeping steady and rhythmic, beating hard against the bag. The bag creaked on its chain but he did not care. His punches turned fierce and violent, tears sprung into his eyes. With each punch he hissed to himself _"Why?!"_

Why, meant a lot of things to Link.

_Why _had Saria left him alone to rule a country that he was not strong enough to rule? He was a Hero not a King!

_Why _had Zelda died? Had she meant to fall, or did she accidentally slip? Or had Saria made her fall? Pushed her perhaps?

_Why _was Evil always his problem to deal with, he was always smiled upon and praised, but he did not see those towns people making an effort to help him. Must he always be alone in the world? Must he always be without love?!

_Why_ had Saria deserted him when she knew that he loved her dearly? She knew that he needed her day and night and yet she was gone, like sand blown by the wind, never to be seen again.

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After a good while defeat and tiredness overtook his lithe body and he had to rest. Sitting upon an upturned bucket, his head in his hands, he could not think why destiny could be so cruel. He'd lost the two people he'd loved the most and yet, one didn't care at all! Saria had not even tried to contact him, although he certainly had, but she must have been in some unknown land where contact was unavailable. Either that or she hadn't wanted to speak.

Suddenly he noticed a shimmer in the hay bale opposite him, a sword! Darting to his feet he snatched the blade from the grainy substance and found it to be his old Master Sword. He had ordered many different types of swords to be made for him during the years…but this was the most comfortable, the most natural.

Swishing it from its sheath, he began to tactically rehearse moves he had learnt and memorized over a long period of time.

"Time," whispered Link, "It's a funny thing isn't it? It can change or break a person's spirit, deform their world, even mess with their brain. I think it's done a little of all of those to me,"

Swinging his blade upright he swirled and flicked it into a pattern he had learnt back in the early days of Hyrule, when he was trying to defeat Ganondorf. He danced, moving his feet so quickly and elegantly that it seemed as though he glided across the floor. His moves seemed no effort at all to him, although they appeared complex and difficult to the eye.

Abruptly, his Master Sword began changing colour…and temperature. Link stared and halted his practice, looking at his weapon in awe.

It was glowing a bright golden orange colour, this had never happened before, what was going on? At the same instance the two Triforce pieces on his hand glowed golden, almost blinding him with brightness. A sharp pain in his right hand made him drop his sword, it had burnt his skin.

Stepping away from his sizzling blade, he looked down at his gloves, which held the magical Triforce pieces of Wisdom and Courage in place. Link had been left the Triforce of Wisdom when his wife Zelda had passed away. Was something disrupting the Sacred Realm? Was there something wrong within the Temple of Time? No one had entered the Temple for at least two years, Impa had sealed it with a special magic. What was wrong with his magical blade? If there was anything wrong with the Triforce pieces, it must be related to the Temple of Time.

Now, it felt, something was about to change or happen. His gut instinct dug deeper within him and he shuddered slightly. Something was going to happen, soon…

In a flash the light dispersed, the sword returned to its original state and the Triforce no longer glowed brightly. Shaking his head in confusion he thought he ought to investigate the Temple of Time when the sun rose, just to see if everything was in order. Picking up his weapon, Link sheathed the Master Sword and attached it to his belt loop. There he turned and faced his punching bag. He bowed stiffly and then swept from the room, a shimmer of silver spirits illuminating the now deserted training arena.


End file.
